PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers still have not received permission from the Portland Trail Blazers to talk to Maurice Cheeks about their vacant head coaching job, team president Billy King said Sunday.

The Trail Blazers on Wednesday turned down Philadelphia's request to speak to Cheeks as a possible replacement for Larry Brown, who resigned last Monday.

Philly eyes Nets' Jordan

The 76ers are seeking permission from the Nets to interview assistant Eddie Jordan for their coaching vacancy, a friend of Jordan's told the Newark Star Ledger. The friend, who asked to remain anonymous, said the Sixers wanted to interview Jordan before the Finals started, although Nets president Rod Thorn has asked teams interested in his assistant coach to wait until after the Finals for interviews. Jordan is expected to be a hot commodity once the Finals are over. Also, the Washington Wizards are in the picture for the Nets assistant since Larry Brown reportedly has a deal with Detroit. -- ESPN.com news services

"Portland denied permission. That's where it is,'' King said.

On Saturday night after Detroit fired Rick Carlisle, a basketball source speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said Portland had given permission to the 76ers to speak to Cheeks. Subsequent reporting determined that information to be inaccurate.

Carlisle would not discuss his future coaching plans when reached by telephone Sunday.

"I'll just let this week play out and we'll see what happens,'' Carlisle said.

Cheeks, who played for the 76ers for 11 seasons and was part of their 1983 NBA championship team, has one year left on his contract with the Trail Blazers, plus a team option for another year.

He has been Portland's head coach the last two seasons, accumulating a 99-65 record while overseeing a troubled team that had a spate of on- and off-court problems.

After failing to get permission to speak to Cheeks last week, King spoke to former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy and Kentucky coach Tubby Smith. Neither was interested in coming to Philadelphia.